On Sunday I had planned to take the children on a picnic. Since I thought it best to leave German behind in case his owner came by， we drove off without him. When we stopped to get gas at a local station， we were amazed to see German racing to the gas station after us. He not only raced to the car， he leaped onto the hood and put his nose on the wind-shield， looking directly into my eyes. No way was he going to be left behind. So into the station wagon he jumped and settled down in the back for the ride to the picnic. He stayed again Sunday.
Monday morning I let him out for a run while the children got ready for school. He didn’t come back. As evening came and German didn’t appear， we were all disappointed. We were convinced that he had gone home or been found by his owner， and that we would never see him again. We were wrong. The next Friday evening， German was back on our doorstep. Again we took him in， and again he stayed until Monday morning， when our housekeeper arrived.
This pattern repeated itself every weekend for almost 10 months. We grew more and more fond of German and we looked forward to his coming. We stopped thinking about where he belonged－he belonged to us. We took comfort in his strong， warm presence， and we felt safe with him near us. When we saw German come to attention and perk up his ears， and heard that low growl begin deep in his throat， we knew we were protected.
As German became part of the family， he considered it his duty to check every bedroom to be sure each child was snug in bed. When he was satisfied that the last person was lucked in， he took upon his position by the front door and remained there until the morning.
Each week， between German’s visits， I grew a little stronger， a little braver and more able to cope； every weekend I enjoyed his company. Then one Monday morning we patted his head and let him out for what turned out to be the last time. He never came back. We never saw or heard from German again.
I think of him often. He came when I needed him the most and stayed until I was strong enough to go on alone. Maybe there is a perfectly natural explanation for German’s visits to our house—maybe his owner went away on weekends—maybe. I believe German was sent because he was needed， and because no matter how abandoned and alone we feel， somehow， somewhere， someone knows and cares. We are never really alone.
丈夫在网球场上突发心脏病去世了，我的世界从此轰然倒塌了。然而六个孩子中最大的只有10岁，最小的才18个月，其他几个分别是9岁、8岁、6岁和3岁。维持生活、养家糊口、照顾孩子这些重担一下子全部落在了我的肩上，我险些支撑不住。
幸运的是，我找到一位不错的女管家，让她平时在家照顾孩子。说实话，我仍觉得心神不宁，因为周五晚上至周一早上，就只剩下我和孩子们了。无论是深夜响起的电话，还是房子的吱吱作响以及任何奇怪的声音都会让我惊恐万分。我感到难以忍受的孤独。
我周五晚上下班回来时，在家门口看到一只又大又漂亮的德国牧羊犬。种种迹象表明，这个惊人的大动物想住进我们的房子，但我还是保持着警惕，可以看出这只狗曾经的日子过得不错，可它是从哪来的？尽管它看上去很温顺，但它毕竟很强壮而且让人有些敬畏，让孩子们与这样一只陌生的狗玩耍安全吗？孩子们一看到它，就恳求让它进屋，他们显然很喜欢这只德牧。于是我同意让它进屋在地下室睡一晚，明天我们也好向邻居打听它的主人。这么多星期以来，那是我睡得最踏实的一晚。
为了寻找狗的主人，我们第二天上午就开始打电话、查看失物招领广告，结果却一无所获。而此时它正在院子里摔打玩耍。性格温顺的德牧已经融入了我们的家庭。它和我们在一起度过了周六，因此晚上它又可以在地下室睡一夜了。
我准备周日带孩子们去野餐，但开车出发时没带上它，因为我觉得德牧最好留在家里以免它的主人来找它。当我们在当地一个加油站停车加油时，令我们惊奇的是德牧竟然在后面追上了我们，不仅如此，它还跳上发动机罩，鼻子紧贴着防风玻璃并直盯着我的眼睛。无论如何我们也不能再丢下它了，于是让它跳进车里待在后座上，一起去野餐。德牧和我们一起度过了一个星期天。
周一早上孩子们准备上学时，我让德牧出去遛遛马路，然而一直到晚上都没见到它。我们非常失望，心想它一定是跑回家或是被主人找到了，也许再也见不到它了。然而事实并非如此，德牧在下个周五的晚上又出现在我们家门口，然后我们把它带回家，直到周一早上管家到的时候它才离开。
就这样，10个月来，它每个周末都会跟我们在一起。我们越来越喜欢它，也越来越期待它的到来。至于它从哪儿来我们不再去想了，因为它是属于我们的。我们因温和强壮的它的到来而感到欣慰，只要它在我们身边我们就很有安全感。看到德牧全神贯注地竖起耳朵，听到德牧从喉咙深处发出低沉的咆哮，就知道它在保护我们。
为了确保每个孩子都安全地躺在温暖的床上，德牧会仔细检查每间卧室，它把这些都看做是自己作为一个家庭成员应尽的义务。当满意地看到最后一个人睡好后，它就站在前门旁坚守岗位直到次日清晨。
在德牧的陪伴下，我每个周末都过得很开心；而当它不在的时候，我也慢慢变得更坚强、勇敢、更善于处事。然而最后见到它是在一个周一的早晨，我们拍拍它的头让它出去后，它就再也没回来过。从此我们再也没有见到它，也没再听说过它。
我常常会想起它。在我最需要的时刻它来到我们的身边，直到我坚强起来，独自面对生活。也许由于主人周末不在家，因此德牧便造访我们家，这个解释也许合情合理。我们从来都不孤单。因为某处的某人总在了解关心着我们，不管感觉被抛弃的我们是多么的孤独，他总知道我们需要，并将德牧派到我们身边。
心灵小语
我常常会想起它。在我最需要的时刻它来到我们的身边，直到我坚强起来，独自面对生活。那一刻起我知道，我们从来都不孤单。
记忆填空
1. I agreed to let him sleep in the basement the next day， when we could inquire around the neighborhood for his . That night I slept peacefully for the time in many weeks.
2. Each week， between German’s visits， I grew a little ， a little braver and more able to cope； every I enjoyed his company. Then one Monday morning we patted his head and let him out for what turned out to be the time.
3. He came when I him the most and stayed until I was strong enough to go on . Maybe there is a perfectly natural explanation for German’s to our house－maybe his owner went away on weekends－maybe.
佳句翻译
1. 尽管它看上去很温顺，但它毕竟很强壮而且让人有些敬畏。
译
2. 这么多星期以来，那是我睡得最踏实的一晚。
译
3. 至于它从哪儿来我们不再去想了，因为它是属于我们的。
译
短语应用
1. This wonderful strong animal gave every indication that he in tended to enter the house and make it his home.
tend to：有……的倾向，趋势
造__________________
2. We grew more and more fond of German and we looked forward to his coming.
looked forward to：渴望，盼望，期待
造__________________
多待十分钟
An Extra Ten Minutes
佚名 / Anonymous
On Monday afternoons at two o’clock， Beau and I would arrive at the Silver Spring Convalescent Center on Milwaukee’s northeast side of town for an hour of pet therapy with the seniors who lived there. We’d walk the hallways greeting everyone on our way to the hospitality room， where residents would come to pet Beau and bask in the adoration of this beautiful， happy， ten-year-old， ninety-nine-pound Doberman pinscher. You’d never know this was the same dog that arrived at my doorstep eight years earlier so beaten， scarred and scared that as soon as he made eye contact with you， he’d lie down on his back with his feet up in the air and pee until you petted and soothed him into feeling safe.
On our first visit， as we walked through the canary-yellow Hallway One， I heard an elderly man’s excited voice， thick with a German accent， streaming out of room 112.“Ma， Ma， the German dog is here！ The German dog is here！”